Textile



Dec. 7 1926.

' P. MIJER PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR DYEING TEXTILE FABRICS Filed July 1 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 gvwo/ntoz 4 M 1641 Dec. 7 1926. 1,609,376

P. MIJER PR OCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR DYEING TEXTILE FABRICS Filed y 1924 s sheetsisheet 2 l I a f ll RI P. MIJER PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR DYEING TEXTILE FABRICS Dec. 7 1926.

Filed July 16 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I I .r

clips forming drops thereon, and causing a spotting or streaking of the material at the edges thereof, I provide means for protecting the tentering frame mechanism from the action of the cloud. More specifically, I provide shields which cover the clips of the tentering frame as they pass through the dye chamber, and to avoid the formation of drops of the coloring matter upon these clips I provide means to heat said shields.

Referring to Fig. 2, it will be seen that above the clips 23, 23 of the tentering frame I have provided a pair of members 24 which are heated preferably by means of steam passed through the interior thereof and disposed in position to shield the clips 23 from the deposition of particles thereon. Any liquid particles falling on the shields 24, 24 are immediately evaporated; said shields 24, 24 also serve to heat the clips as they pass through the apparatus, so that should any particles find their way on to the clips they will be evaporated on the surface of the clips and will not form drops thereon.

In the form of the invention herein described the aforesaid means for protecting the tentering mechanism against deposition of color thereon are in the form of longitudinal steam-boxes and are connected at each end with the transverse steam pipes 22, 22 Member 24 is connected to the steam pipe 25 by pipe 26 controlled by cook 27 member 24 is connected to steam pipe 28 controlled by cock 29; main steam pipe 25 is connected by pipe 30 controlled by cock 31 with a coil 32 located in drying chamber 33, said coil being positioned above the path of the material but near the surface thereof, and having a steam outlet 34 controlled by cock 35. It will be noted that the drying chamber comprises a box consisting of the longitudinal walls 36, 36 transverse walls 37 suitably slotted to permit the passage of the fabric and the tenter chains therethrough; heating coil 38 connected by pipe 39 to main steam pipe 25 and controlled by cook 40 may serve to heat the under surface of the fabric as it passes through the dye chamber and said coil is connected with steam outlet 41 and controlled by cock 42. In some cases this coil 38 may be in actual contact with the fabric as it passes through the dye chamber. I may provide that portion of the roof which overhangs the path of the fabric as it passes through the apparatus with a false roof 43 heated by steam coil 44 connected by pipe 45 with main steam pipe 25, said connection being controlled by cook 46 said coil. having an outlet 47 controlled by cock 48.

The atomizing means here shown which have given excellent results in practice are the so-called Wold air-brush model X-7 made by the Void Air Brush Mfg. (30., of Chicago, Ill. These brushes are adjusted to a point where they produce a stream of extremely fine particles of coloring matter in suspension which in turn forms a cloud within the dye chamber. The liquid inlet 49 of the air-brush is connected to dye tank 50 mounted on shelf 51 on the outside of the transverse walls. The flexible conduits 52 of the brushes are connected with the main air manifolds 53 located one on each side of the dye chamber and these air manifolds are connected together under the chamber by pipe 54 and by pipe 55 with a source of compressed air, liquid carbonic acid gas or other fluid pressure medium. The sup; y of the fluid pressure medium to the manifold 53 is controlled by the cock 56, and the supply of pressure medium to each individual air-brush is controlled by individual cocks 57 mounted on the manifolds and located in the connections between the maui folds and the air pipes 52. As already stated, the fabric is traversed through the dye chamber and the drying chamber by means of the well-known tenter frame mechanism or tentering mechanism here illustrated diagrammatically, the construction and operation of such mechanism being wellknown to those skilled in the art. Briefly stated, such mechanism holds the fabric evenly along its edges and maintains it flat and without the formation of wrinkles thereon; the tentering mechanism can be adjusted either to stretch the fabric substantially or slightly, or to hold the fabric against shrinkage, as may be desired, and. will be operated speeds considerably lower than those at which such mechanism usually operates, this depending upon the length of the dye chamber and the nuniber of brushes therein contained.

Since the specific tentering machine shown is in itself no part of the present invention, I have herein described and illustrated those parts thereof which are necessary for an understanding of how the tenteriug mechanism is combined with the dye cheniber, without any structural change in said mechanism.

Referring to Fig. 23, it will be noted thaw two sets of tentering clips 23, 23 are respectively connected to constitute two end less chains passing over sprocket wheels 60, 60 at the entering end, and sprocket wheels 61, 61 at the exit end. Sprocket wheels 60, 60, are. mounted on shafts 62, 62, carrying bevel pinions 63, 63 on the lower ends thereof. Drive shaft driven by belt 6'? passing over pulley 66 at one end thereof carries bevel pinion 64 meshing with bevel pinion 63, which pinion 63 also meshes with bevel pinion 64 mounted on drive shaft 65 and hearing at its other end bevel pinion 64 meshing with bevel pinion 63. The clips 23, 2 3 are guided in a determine-5 path by means of lips 68 engaging the guide bars 69 constituting the usual raceway, and

character are provided with suitable cam.

means for opening and closing the clips, and I have here diagramn'iatically illustrated a conventional form of cam member which consists of the bars 70, 70. These bars act upon the jaws of the clips, which are normally spring-pressed to open posi tion, and when the cam rollers 71 on said clips ride over the cam bars, said clips are forced into closed position. The fabric enters the jaws of the clips when they are in open position, and when they into the machine the bars 70, 70 close the jaws; the diverging path of the guides at th entering end of the machine causes the jaws to commence stretching the fabric once they take hold of the fabric, and'the fabric isheld throughout the dyeing operation.

It is customary in machines of this character to provide means for varying the streirhing effect by causing relative movement between the endless chains of clips. I have not described and illustrated this wellknown adjusting means herein, but I have provided means in the apparatus for ad justing the parts in accordance with the adjustment of the tentering frame clips. These means provide for the adjustment of the steamboxes 24, 24; towards or away from one another in accordance with the adjustment of the clips, and the corresaondin len thenin or shortening of the b b {D A transverse steam pipes 22, 22 The ad justment of the. steam lOOX Qis effected owing to the fact that table 18 is made'in two parts 72, 7? connected together by bolts 73 engaging inelongated slotsl' l- (see Fig. This permits of extending or decreasing the area of the table, and thereby changing the position of the longitudinal steam boxes 24,-, 24;. Transverse steam pipes 22, 22 can be adjusted to increase or decrease. their length transversely ofthe fabric owing to the fact that the ends of each of said pipes are connected with the longitudinal steam bores 24, 243", through the intermediaryof sockets'lo, the outer ends of which are pro vided with steam-tight gaskets 76 adapted to prevent escape of steam in the joint be tween the pipe and the socket.

t will be obvious from the, above description that lateral adjustments may be made of the aforesaid steam boxesand transverse steam pipes to fit the machine for operationwith different-kinds of fabric'and different adjustments of the tenterii'ig'frame.

Operation of apparatua-The fluid medium is supplied at constant pressure to the air-brushes which draw the dye in liquid form from the containers 50 and form a color cloud. The air-brush is regulated so as to produce a stream of extremely minute particles held in suspension in the air. With some or all of the brushes inoperation depending upon the depth of 00101 required a cloud soon forms in the apparatus. t is preferable to prevent this cloud from passing out of the apparatus by closing the opening between the two sets ofclips, as by first feeding muslin into the machine to be followed later by the silk when the machine is ready for operation. Steam-is supplied to the transverse pipes22, 22 and to members 24, 249' and said members are maintained hot during therunning ofthe apparatus. When the cloud hasreached the desired density, the tentering frame mechanism is started in operation and the clips thereof draw: the fabric through the dye chamber and the drying chamber at the desired-speed; as the material passes through the settling zone Eof the dye chamber it colors it on one side thereof, the spray being controlled astothe size ofthe liquid particle therein, so that said liquid particles will not entirely penetrate through the silk by the time it has passed from'one end of the dye chamber to the other. Coil 88 assistsin checking the'penetration by heating the material, and coil dries the fabric as itpasses through the drying chamber.

It is to be notedtliat the cloud forms in front of the air-brush spray, and that no portion ofth is air-brush spray is located directly above the'fab'ric so that any large particles, drops or particles of solid matter which may drop from the air brush spray by gravity do not drop on the fabric itself, but drop to one'side thereof; A cloud is continuously formed by the battery of-airbrushes, and continuously depleted of color which settles by gravity on to the material as it moves across the bottom of the saterial. The particles and drops which settle or fall in the zone D-D in proximity with the air-brushes collect in the troughs 21, :21. Owing to the fact that the tenter frame holds the material'substantially flat (with or without actual-stretching, asdesired) it cannot shrink and form wrinkles which may result in too uneven a coloration. Vdhile the combination of my dyeing mechanism with the tenter frame isextremely valuable for traversing silk such as-crepe de chine, is also valuable for all' fabrics since no creases are formed during the exposureof the fabric to the color cloud. The inventionmay be employedto carry outthe-"processes of my prior applications Serial-Nor 692,762 filed lat) February 14th, 1924, Serial No. 723,166 filed June 30th, 192 1, and Serial No. 724,262 filed July 5th, 19241.

It will be obvious that af'ler the material has been colored on one side thereof it can be turned over and colored on the other side thereof either by changing the color cloud in the apparatus herein illustrated, or by passing it through a second apparatus substantially similar to the apparatus herein illustrated.

In some cases I may dispense with the heating members 24:, 24 and expose the clips directly to the action of the cloud by pre liminary heating of the clips before they pass into the chamber, so that any particles falling on them are immediately evaporated. To this end I provide gas heaters 80, 80 having burners 81, 81, the flames of which heat the upper surfaces of said clips as they pass towards the inlet side of the dye chamber; burners 80, 80 are mounted upon suitable frames 82, 82*.

lVhile I have described the process and apparatus of the present invention with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and alterations may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. The process of treating textile fabrics consisting in forming a cloud of atomized coloring matter and traversing the fabric relative to the cloud and exposing it to the action of said cloud while holding said fabric at the longitudinal edges thereof.

2. The process of coloring fabric consisting in forming a cloud of finely divided coloring matter, and traversing the material relative to said cloud and exposing it to the action of said cloud while stretching said material transversely to avoid wrinkle formation.

3. he process of coloring fabrics consist ing in forming a cloud of finely divided col-- oring matter and traversing the fabric relative to said cloud while applying transverse tension to the material at its longitudinal edges.

a. The method of coloring fabric consisting' in forming a cloud of particles of finely divided coloring matter, stretching the fabric, and traversing the fabric in stretched condition beneath said cloud and relative to said cloud While positively stretching said material transversely.

5. The method of coloring materials consisting in forming a color cloud and holding said material against shrinkage while traversing it relative to the color cloud.

6. The process of coloring textile mate rials which consists in forming a color cloud and traversing the material relative to said cloud while positively maintaining substantially all portions of said material stretched flat transversely and longitudinally.

7. A dyeing or coloring apparatus including a source of dye liquid, means for forming a color cloud from said dye liquid in combination with a tenter frame mechanism for traversing the fabric relative to the color cloud, while exposing the fabric to said color cloud.

8. A dyeing or coloring apparatus comprising a source of dye liquid, a chamber and means for forming a color cloud from said dye liquid therein in combination with means for traversing the fabric through said chamber relative to said color cloud while stretching said fabric, and means for protecting the fabric from the effect of drops accun'lulating in said chamber at the edges of the fabric.

f). A dyeing or coloring apparatus coinprising a source of dye liquid, means for Firming a color cloud from said dye liquid in combination with means for traversing the fabric relative to the color cloud while holding the fabric to avoid shrinkage, while exposing the fabric to the color cloud.

10. A dyeing or coloring apparatus coinprising a source of dye liquid, means forforming a color cloud from said dye liquid. and means for holding the longitudinal edges of said fabric and traversing it rela tive to the color cloud while exposing the fabric to the color cloud.

11. A dyeing or coloring apparatus comprisin a dye chamber in combination with tenter frame traversing mechanism passing through said dye chamber, and means for preventing the formation of drops on said tenter frame mechanism.

12. A dyeing or coloring apparatus comprising a dye chamber, a plurality of tenter clips traversing said dye chamber, and means for preventing the formation of drops on said clips.

13. A dyeing or coloring apparatus com prising a dye chamber, tenter frame mechanism in said dye chamber including a plu rality of tenter clips, and heated incn'ihers for preventing the formation of drops on said clips.

14. A dyeing or coloring apparatus comprising a source of dye liquid, a dye cham ber, tenter frame mechanism in said dye chamber including a plurality of tenter clips, and means for drying said clips.

15. A dyeing or coloring apparatus comprising a source of dye liquid, a dye chamber, means for forming a color cloud in said dye chamber, tenter frame mechanism in said dye chamber including a plurality of tenter clips, and means for heating said. clips.

16. A dyeing or coloring apparatus coinprising a dye chamber, tenter frame mechanism in said dye chamber including a plurality of tenter clips, and means having Hit lilfi lifi recs

in the ly relative to the path of the fabric through the chamber.

19. A dyeing or coloring apparatus comprising a dye chamber, means for forming a color cloud therein, means including a plurality of clips for traversing the material through the chamber, a pair of longitudinal heating members arranged above said clips and a pair of transverse heating members arranged above the fabric and below the transverse walls of said chamber.

20. A dyeing or coloring apparatus comprising a dye chamber, means for forming a color cloud therein, fabric-holding means for traversing the material longitudinally through said dye chamber relative to said color cloud while holding the material flat, heating means disposed longitudinally relative to the path of the fabric through the chamber, and means for adjusting the position of said heating means.

21. A dyeing 0r coloring apparatus comprising in combination with a tenter mechanism, protecting means overhanging the tenter clips of said mechanism, and means for adjusting said overhanging means.

,ere

22. A dyeing or coloring apparatus comprising a dye chamber, means for forming a color cloud therein, a tenter frame mechanism for traversing the material through the dye chamber, heating members arranged above the fabric and below the transverse walls of said chamber, and means for ad justing said heating members.

23. The process of coloring fabrics consisting in atomizing a dye liquid to form a cloud of finely divided coloring matter While separating therefrom undesired large particles or drops, and traversing the material relative to the color cloud and exposing it to the action of said cloud while holding said. fabric at the longitudinal edges thereof.

24:. A dyeing or coloring apparatus, including means for atomizing a dye liquid to form a cloud while separating undesired large particles or drops, and means for holding the longitudinal edges of the fabric and traversing it relative to the color cloud, while exposing the fabric to said color cloud.

25. A dyeing or coloring apparatus. including means for atomizing a dye liquid to form a cloud while separating out undesired large particles or drops and a tenter frame mechanism for traversing the fabric relative to said color cloud, While exposing the fabric to said color cloud.

26. A dyeing or coloring apparatus, comprising, a cloud chamber provided with an opening on one side thereof and means for forming a color cloud therein, in combination with traversing means for exposing the fabric to the color cloud while closing the opening in said chamber.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

PIETER MIJER. 

